It had been a minute since he stepped foot in this part of Philly. Longer since he’d been inside this exact Hooters. Same orange booths. Same questionably sticky floors as soon as you walk into the front lobby. They used to come up here starving after pick-up games, sneaking in at eighteen with fakes just to split twenty wings and flirt with whatever waitress gave them the most attention. That was before everything changed.

Now he was walking in with a heavyweight title and three of his oldest friends from the block, just trying to eat and lay back before training tomorrow. They were already talking shit before they hit the table, clowning each other, daring one another to order the hottest sauce on the menu like they were still teenagers.

Adonis just laughed and folded his arms on top of the table, readjusting his 76ers cap on his head, trying to remain discreet. He wasn’t trying to draw attention. He just wanted to chill with his homeboys and smash on a fifteen piece, bone-in.

That’s when the smell of perfume invaded his senses like a fog. The waitress who could easily quit this 9-5 and work in the modeling industry.

You weren’t like the others as cliche as that may sound. Just a warm, polite glance and a little nod when you caught their table. All business. You grabbed your notepad, adjusted your signature Hooters top and walked over with the kind of ease that said you’d done this a hundred times over and didn’t care who sat in front of you.

“Y’all good? Know what you want or need a few minutes?”

Your tone was sweet and professional. If anyone deserved to be employee of the month, it was always gonna be you.

His boys were formidable, cracking jokes, trying to mix and match flavors like the wings were cocktails instead of bar food. But Adonis kept his eyes on you. Studying the way you didn't even blink when one of them listed a long ass order. You just wrote down the orders, nodded, and turned to him.

He offered a small smile, one corner of his mouth tugging up just a bit.

“I’ll take whatever you recommend,” he said, voice low and even. “Figure if you been here this long, you know what’s worth it.”

It came out in a casual, respectful tone. But something in his eyes lingered just a second too long. Just enough to let you know he noticed you.